Representing ourselves

MM41 - Self-image and the media

Summarise each section in one sentence

•  We have ideas of who we are, who we want to be and who we want to be seen as which we construct through our appearance and dialect however this is influenced by media representation and the cultures in which we are present in.
•  Identity used to be pre-determined through our class, gender, religion and roles within society and individual depiction was more of a reflection than a construction.
•  Due to a rise in consumerism, we are influenced through brands to adapt our identities in order to conform or subvert societal norms, this relates to the id aspect of Freud's work.
•  Individualism began within the 60s/70s, which used empowerment to encourage individuality and the introduction of the fragmented self- that we don't have one set identity rather than many identities.
• Branding is the association of a personality with a product, people select brands based on the person they associate with the product and the values of the lifestyle presented. Films tackle this idea through the use of the fragmented self and media saturation.
• The internet allows us to construct an entire identity that can either be completely honest or horrifically falsified as we manipulate certain aspects for validation, our online presence also allows data mining to occur for advertising purposes.

List 5 brands you're happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity

•  Revolution Beauty - They're a cruelty free, environmentally conscious brand which I think is an important aspect of my personal identity as well as the presentation of a well put together style.
•  Apple - Their status within the social market and creative branding reflects my artistic drive
•  Adidas - I believe in their diversity campaigns, and their use of minimalism to create a simplistic atmosphere which fits into my aesthetic extremely well
• Costa Coffee - They are environmentally conscious and their campaigns resonate well with my personal beliefs and the image i try to perpetuate in my everyday life.
• P&G - I am a feminist and P&Gs 'Like a girl' campaign and brands associated with them's role in ending period poverty and other important global issues is something I think represents my role as someone who speaks out on issues.

Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

•  The expression 'style over substance' means that appearance is more important than quality or usefulness or worth. I agree that modern media does focus on the aesthetic value and profitability over the substance and relevance of content - although art is valuable and important in a modern society, many media companies rely on profits to keep running and being involved and up to date with content in the current zeitgeist puts them at a competitive advantage.

Explain Baudrillard's theory on 'media saturation'

•  The idea that self-image relates to brands and products over experience perpetuated within mass media has lead to high cultural value being placed on appearances and physical traits rather than internal traits such as intellect or compassion.

Do you think your online presence is an accurate representation of who you are? Have you ever deleted a post because it didn’t do as well as you hoped? 

• I think my online presence is an accurate representation of not just who I am, but who I would like to be. I am guilty of showing a glamorised depiction of myself but it’s less for validation and more of a display of the love and confidence I have for myself. I think my captions and my online presence do capture my personality as I would hope it would and have never consciously edited or adapted my behaviours to fit into something that I knew was not something that aligned with my identity. Also I have definitely deleted posts/tweets that didn’t do as well as I hoped or communicated ideas that I no longer agreed with or felt were correct. I appreciate an aesthetic and if an Instagram post is out of line or a tweet is not as eloquent as I would hope, I feel like deleting it or editing it is something that is a social norm in today’s digital age. 

What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your online presence? Is this an invasion of privacy?

•  I believe that data mining although a creative capitalist technique is a breach of privacy. I do prefer targeted adverts, and a lack of spam when browsing websites which allows for a more user friendly experience however the idea of data mining is a flawed one, it is a clear invasion of privacy especially when it comes to internet searches. There's clearly pros and cons for data mining - targeted ads are less of a nuisance, profitable for corporations and eliminates e-waste but it can be seen as alarming and a breach of rights.

MM62 - Cartoon

• Gauntlett believes that mass media texts offer us a diverse mix of representations allowing audiences to pick and mix 
•  Audiences actively process the messages the media puts out. 
•  There's 'ambivalent pleasure' that comes from enjoying entertaining media whilst recognising their flawed or unrealistic representations.
•  The concept of 'fandom' supports the belief that media texts can inspire and influence audiences
• Identity is fluid and transformable and that our culture is a force for change.

Representation & Identity Factsheet

What is collective identity?

•  A collective identity is based around a set amount of individuals with the same traditions and values.

Write a list of as many things as you can that represent Britain. Have you provided a diverse representation of Britain?

•  Diversity, The Queen, Solidarity, Soap Operas, Tea, Henry the Hoover, Cockney accents, slang words, money, nike pouch bags - I think I have provided a diverse yet biased representation since I have spoken about the things I have personally been exploited to which may differ from someone who lives in a different, less central place in the UK.

How does James May's Top Toys offer a nostalgic representation of Britain?

•  He focuses on the toys of his youth and the youth of 30+ year old males - his choice of scaletrix and lego etc. capture a time of community and simplicity of the 70s/80s

How has new technology changed collective identity?

•  New technology has allowed people to actively interact with the content of the culture surrounding them and then go on to use it as a resource for their own cultural production.

What phrase does David Gauntlett [2008] use to describe this new focus on identity?

• 'Identity is complicated; everyone thinks they've got one' 

What does Gauntlett suggest about creativity and identity?

•  That there has been a shift from the pliant and passive past of identity to a more active and independent approach and that harnessing creativity and partaking in everyday creatively stimulating activities will have an impact on how collective identity is formed.

How does the Shaun of the Dead facebook group provide an example of Henry Jenkins' theory of interpretive communities online?

•  The community formed from the members sharing quotes and anecdotal posts about their love for the film, supports Henry Jenkins' idea that it's not the fans anonymity but their engagement with the text as a group and their joint interpretation rather than their individual engagements and perspective.